BMW might normally be associated with luxury cars, but its subsidiary group, DesignworksUSA, is a different story altogether. Aside from developing innovative concepts for automobiles, the team there also applies its parent company's design principles to a wide range of products – even home computers. It might come as no surprise then that the group recently teamed up with computer manufacturer ASRock to create the M8, a compact PC tower that resembles a high-performance engine and was designed especially for gaming.

DesignworksUSA is no stranger to personal electronics, having worked on a "caseless" computer tower and a durable smartphone for outdoors types. That's why ASRock, which specializes in motherboards, enlisted the group to build its first small form factor (SFF) gaming PC.

The design team wanted to give the M8 a signature style that would make it stand out at LAN parties while conveying a sense of power akin to a race car. As such, the case has been designed to look impressive whether it's placed vertically or horizontally, while still providing optimal cooling throughout the interior. And since it was commissioned by a motherboard manufacturer, the case includes semi-transparent sides that showcase the computer's innards, particularly the motherboard.

A knob on the front acts as a multi-functional control button, with an OLED display that shows the date, time, and system heat, among other stats. Turning the knob can also adjust the volume and cooling fan speed.

Don't let the sleek aesthetics fool you though; this computer case is built for travel. Each corner has a handle to make it easier to carry, and the motherboard is secured against any damaging movement once inside the case. The side panels are also magnetic and can be easily removed to make any quick repairs or adjustments to the inside of the computer. The tower also includes a 802.11ac Wi-Fi module and Bluetooth v4.0, supplying 867 Mbps wireless speeds, as well as a Creative SoundCore 3D quad-core processor for enhanced sound effects.

DesignworksUSA and ASRock will debut the M8 gaming PC at the upcoming Computex trade show in Taipei, which runs from Jun. 4 to Jun. 8. No details on a price or release date have been revealed as yet.

Jonathan grew up in Norway, China, and Trinidad before graduating film school and becoming an online writer covering green technology, history and design, as well as contributing to video game news sites like Filefront and 1Up. He currently resides in Texas, where his passions include video games, comics, and boring people who don't want to talk about either of those things. All articles by Jonathan FincherFollow @jonathanfincher